We’re pretty sure you’re not using your beauty blender right

Beauty blenders are to Instagram what matte lipsticks are to millennials—everyone’s obsessed. What started out as a bright pink sponge now has smaller and flatter variants that are all as popular as the original. The popularity of the blender also encouraged people to go back to long-loved make-up sponges. However, with summer comes heat and excess bacteria. Besides, most people don’t have any fixed storage cover for their sponges, they just lie around in their make-up kits with 50 other products, some without lids even. Put all of this together and using your sponge may be the recipe to breakouts, rashes and inflamed skin.

You already know how to use your sponges and blenders best; they need to be damp so you’re able to blend your make-up well for a creaseless look. Once you’re done blending though, you can’t just let it hang around to collect bacteria and grow mold. Nor can you instantly lock it in an airtight bag or box, for the same reasons.

There’s a way around the issue, but it’s not one you’re going to love. You need to wash your sponge. Every day. We know it’s hard, but it’s the only way to get the most out of your tool. You can use a basic cleansing liquid soap with water and gently keep squeezing and pinching the sponge to get rid of all the product. Be careful not to poke it if you have sharp nails. If you notice spots with excess product on them, you can use additional soap on them or soak your blender overnight in a mix of water and soap. Leave it out to dry on a clean table or platform and store it in a breathable cloth pouch. However, even after all of this, you’re still going to have to replace it every three months. It sucks, we know. Chalk it up to one of the sacrifices you make in the name of flawless make-up, but more importantly, healthy skin.